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Diseases That Affect Breastfeeding

Topic Overview

Most women with chronic illnesses or infectious diseases
can
breastfeed.

Women with
diabetes usually can breastfeed but may need to
follow a special diet. They may be able to lower their insulin doses while
breastfeeding, because their blood glucose is being used for milk production.

Women with
cystic fibrosis or
phenylketonuria (PKU) must have their milk and their
infant's health monitored when breastfeeding.

In most cases,
breastfeeding is possible when the mother has
hepatitis A, chronic
hepatitis B or
hepatitis C, or
cytomegalovirus (CMV).

Other diseases, though, may make breast milk unsafe for the
baby. A woman should not breastfeed if she:

Is infected with the human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV), because she can pass the virus to her baby in her
milk.

Has sores on her breast caused
by infections (such as
herpes,
syphilis, or
chickenpox). She will need to wait until the infection has been resolved or
successfully treated.

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